Let's talk Model 70's.....

[Wanttohuntmore]

Bofire mentioned his winchester's in the Tikka post, figured a chat on M70's would be interesting!  I have one, a 1992 Push Feed, stainless, 3006.  Not my best shooter, but very well machined.  It'll do 1moa with the right loads.  I'm working on beating that.  Anyone with some M70 stories?  Oh, and I wouldn't mind picking up a pre-64 in 300 H&H.  Our longtime hunting partner has one, what a sweet gun......

[BigGoonTuna]

really like my year-old featherweight in 7-08.  only thing that concerns me a bit is the slim stock has kind of warped from moisture and it's touching the barrel.  the accuracy is just fine for what i do though, i put a 3 round group into a pop can at 100 yards for my pre-season sight-in.

it's a real joy to pack around, even with a 3x9x40 scope on it, i'd be surprised if it weighed any more than my 12 gauge wingmaster.  the 7mm-08 is a pretty tame caliber in that light of a rifle too.

[JackOfAllTrades]

It'll be interesting to see who comes out of the closet for this thread. All too often people forget the rifles that paved the way for so many others. I'd love to have an old model 70. (pre64 Controlled feed) I have total disbelief that those actions are weeker than later models. That adjustable trigger. Metal trigger guard and floorplate. The way things should be. My trigger guard broke on my old Ruger77 (early 70's vintage where Ruger still needed to remain competitive with Winchester and Remington that were cutting production costs), and I replaced it with an aftermarket steel one. I don't care about the weight. There are some neat things about the featherweight models of the Win70's, but not enough for me to look at one if I was in the market for a rifle now. Composite stocks with factory pillar bedding, (Oh, but I do miss the fancy walnut of the higher grade Pre64 Win70's though.), triggers like the Savage (accu-trigger), or the Marlin (XL7), the Ruger varminter trigger, or an aftermarket Jewel or Timney available for just about any brand rifle out there, leaves Winchester/Olin/USRA with much to be desired.

-Steve

[oldschool]

Pre 64 70 30-338 wouldn't trade it for the world.Kick's like a mule.

[Wanttohuntmore]

I have shot some sweet shooting M70's as well, so even if they have a slow lock time, some still can shoot!  My dream gun would wear a true, pre-64 action, a carbon fiber stock, 280 Ackley with a stainless, 26" tube. 

[high country]

if you are a serious enough rifleman to be able to discern the difference in lock time between a m70 and any other production rifle, you don't need any info.

I have a few, they are slick, accurate, heavy and dear to my heart.....and earning more value then a paper dollar!

[Bofire]

Mine are a 300 H&H, 2 30/06's, a 270 and a 220 swift. I have not shot them in 20 years and will not. They are great guns, style and class in a functional firearm.
Carl

[JackOfAllTrades]

It would break my heart not to shoot them if I owned them. Your choice, but man.. What a waste.  Everything in my safe gets fired. (OK, there's a damascus barreled BP 10ga that doesn't but that's only because I don't reload BP shottie)

-Steve

[Fish4Fun]

I have 2 Model 70's in the safe. One was my Dad's that I got after he passed away in 1993. It is a 1965 Model 70 in .300 Win Mag with old time Balvar 2.5 - 8 scope. To adjust the scope you have to adjust the mounts as it doesn't have internal adjustments.

The other Mod 70 is a Feather wieght .257 Roberts.  Both of these guns are tack drivers, no way would I part with either of them. 

[Bofire]

Someday after my sons are gone thier kids will have them, they will likely be the last privately owned examples of wonderful work and a part of our history. The are in pristine condition, every year I get them out twice and wipe them down, play with them, it is hard to just put them away but.... to me they are irreplacable. I do not want to see one mark, one scar, on any of them. I have lots of guns to shoot but none with the character of these.
Carl

[7mag.]

I have a M70 in 7mm rem. mag. It is old and beat up. It has seen every hunting season since I was 16. It still shoots way better than I do.

[wsmnut]

I have four of them.  One is a late 70's sporter in 270 win. pushfeed.  Nothing special except shoots like a demon! (my first rifle)
The other in 270 win is my wife's.  A Classic stainless that is a good shooter.
My son shoots a Classic stainless in 300 wsm.  Tack driver.
The last one I got is from the latest production out of the FN plant.  It's an Extreme Weather stainless in 325 wsm.  Easily the least finicky rifle I load for.  Very smooth action.  VERY happy with this version of the Model 70.

wsmnut

[runningboard]

I currently only have 1, a left-hand classic sporter(Mauser claw extractor) with a 270 Lilja stainless tube at 26". Timney trigger set @ 2.5 lbs, Leupold VX-III 2.5-8. shoots 130 Barnes Tipped TSX's into .327" center-to-center for 5 @ 100 with a little bit of wind. love it hope I never part with it. in fact I want more like it in different calibers just for kicks.

[GregMcFadden]

I've got a 30-06 M70 featherweight, pre-64 that has been well used by my grandfather.  I still shoot it but can not get better than ~1.5" 4 shot groups at 100 yards, probably because of some noticeable wear in the throat area along with a little pitting just after.  I would love to replace the barrel, but the barrel is original and I am hesitant to risk screwing up the original barrel replacing it.... 

still has an exceptionally old 4x power redfield scope that I can't yet find the date of manufacture of

[carpsniperg2]

i always love a good model 70 i have one in 30-06 and am always on the look out for a good m70

[woodswalker]

I have a few, a 1951 bare action that is going to turn into a 257 Roberts Featherweight, then a 1938 production .30-06, a 1958 Featherweight .30-06, a Stainless Classic Featherweight (All-Terrain model) in a composite stock in .30-06, a Stainless Classic in .300WM and a pushfeed in .338 WM.

I am always on the jones for a CRF Winchester 70 or a clean model 54.  Sights set right now on a Stainless Classic in .338WM, then a Stainless .375 H&H.

[Bigshooter]

I have a few.  I have three featherweights. A .270, A 270wsm, and A 338-06.  I also have to pre 64's.  One is a 300h&h and the other is a 257 roberts.  And I think that is it.  Id have to look.

[GUHunter]

Just one for me. A featherweight made in '82 chambered in 7x57 mauser. Honestly, bought it primarily because of the chambering and because it is so darn good-looking.

[tritt007]

My dad has one in 270. win i LOVE that gun he's got an older redfield on it, love that damn gun, ive got a 770 in 270. 

[halflife65]

I currently have 2:
About a 1980 or 81 featherweight in .270 (my first rifle) and a 1948 .30-06 that I inhereted from my grandfather (and shot my biggest buck with).  

My other grandfather passed away about 10 years ago and gave his 1945 .270 to my uncle.  My cousins don't hunt so my uncle is giving me the gun when he quits hunting or he dies, which will probably be the same day.   I told him I had a few other guns and I can wait.

[Skillet]

I have two M70 Featherweights in 30-06 - one left to me by grandad that he bought new in 1957, and one I bought in 1994.  I'm sure I'll own more than these two, but never less than these two.

[C-Money]

Oh My! I would love to find a mint condition pre 64 M70 in a .270win or a an '06. I guess one in any classic caliber would be fine. They are just a wounderful rifle!

[BiggMayn]

I have a late '90s Model 70 Classic Sporter in 30-06 with the claw extractor and a Leupold VX III 3-9x40mm up top. Great looking AND shooting rifle.  Will never sell it and plan on buying a few more Model 70's. 

[hoyt2002]

I have 3 and love them all. a featherweight, lightweight both in 308 and a model 70 classic in 300 rum the rum is my favorite.

[Lowedog]

I have a stainless classic in .300 Win. Mag. on an HS Precision stock.  It is one of them that came with the BOSS system.  I made a cap to screw onto the end and don't use the BOSS.  This rifle will shoot well under an inch if I do my part with Barnes 168 TSX. 

[Wanttohuntmore]

Funny that you mentioned the 168 TSX Lowedog, I just shot a 5 shot group with some last night in my 3006 Stainless, pushfeed.  First load and grouped right at 1".  Now I need to play with the load a little to see if I can tighten it up a little.  I then, took a 168 grain Federal Match ammo, and shot a cloverleaf, one hole cluster.  Best I've seen out of this gun.  I put a Hogue pillar bedded stock on it, and free floated the barrel, and it seems to be working better than the up pressure on the barrel from the factory stock. 

[Raul Duke]

I own a M70 in a .308 freather weight. Love the gun. I know its now a pre 64 , but its old.
I need to look up th e year.
My 2 hunting buddys also use M70's. 1 is a .300 the other uses a .270.
Bouth of them bought theres after I picked up mine. 

[Hyde]

Back in 1999, I was in Mack's Sporting goods in Kodiak Alaska buying my fishing license.  There on their rack was a brand new model 70 stainless 338 Win Mag LEFT HAND.  Price was $700 as I recall.  I wanted that rifle so bad, and even more after the guy let me hold it.  I almost bought it... I mean it was one of those "what do I do?" moments.  Since I was heading out to fish for a week, I decided not to hold up the group with the paperwork.  The store owner told me that rifle had been on the shelf for a long time, so I left thinking I would stop by and buy it on my way out of town in a week.  As it turned out, we were late getting back to town from Pasagshak and I almost missed my flight home, so no time to go back to Macks.  When I got home to Seattle I called them..... and you guessed it... they sold it.  Every time I think about that I cringe.  Do you have any idea how rare it is to find that exact rifle?  I found a left hand stainless 300 win mag on Gunbroker a few weeks ago and was outbid at the end while I was at work.  It went for $861.00, $10.00 more than my bid.   

My advice... if you want a RARE rifle and you find it.... BUY IT.  Figure out a way. 

[undertoad]

Can someone please tell me what years the Model 70 was made in a left-handed version?

[lawdog]

i picked up a model 70 from cabela's gun library a few months ago. had some problems with it at first but all it really needed was some TLC. it was made i believe in 63-64 its seriel number starts with 70 thousand. and this rifle shoots about .85 inch groups with my handloads

[jager]

 I've got three pre 2006 featherweights....
A stainless/synthetic 7 mag,  a 270wsm and a 300wsm. 3x9 Zeiss on the first two and a Zeiss 4.5x14 on the latter.
I love the featherweights....they fit like a glove...I love the smaller grip and forend....
They are great shooters too!

[ecnclan]

I have one that's a stainless featherweight classic in 270 wsm.  I picked it up about five years ago and really like it.  I sold a stainless classic in 300 wsm because I really needed the money, wish I could of kept that one.

[McCascades]

I have one. Which I purchased in 1978. Controlled Feed. .300WinMag.  I bought it for $150.00 from a guy I worked with who only put 10 rounds through it.  Came with a 3x-9x Leupold Gold Ring Scope. It's one of the best shooting rifles I own. 

[LRshooter]

My first hunting rifle was a pre 64, 30-06 featherweight with an old 4x weaver scope. My friend next door gave it to me for mowing his lawn for two months. i think i made out pretty well

[Lowedog]

My first hunting rifle was a pre 64, 30-06 featherweight with an old 4x weaver scope. My friend next door gave it to me for mowing his lawn for two months. i think i made out pretty well

I wish I had a neighbor like that!!!!

[ML_Hunter]

My favorite rifle of all time 
I'm a young guy who had recently hit the quarter century mark...man I'm feeling old  .  I have one Pre-64 in a .270 manufactured in 1953 and would like to have many more.  In the mean wile I'll just have to play with them at work.  I can easily see myself becoming a Model 70 collector